Railroad spike



Lil-4141,2711. A PLUMP A I RAILROAD SPIKE. FILED OCT 18 1922 Feb; 6, 1923.

Adow Pium W/ T/VESSES A ITORIIIEVS Patented Feb. 6, 1%23.

ADOLPH PLUMP, F REDVJ'OOD CITY, CALIFORNIA.

RAILROAD SPIKE.

Application filed October 18, 1922. Serial 1W0. 595,367.

T 0 all w 710m it 722.0 31 concern Be it known that l, AnoLrH PLUMP, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Redwood City, in the county of San 5 Mateo and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Spikes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a railroad spike of the type of construction disclosed in Letters: Patent of the United States s d-1,409,403, granted to me March 14, 1922, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

In the aforesaid Letters Patent, I disclose a spike adapted for and having means cooperating therewith to look a spike in driven position against accidental withdrawal from or twisting in the material into which driven.

An object of the present invention is to provide a spike of the character described which is of simplified construct-ion and of generally conventional form, being capable of production in the same manner as an ordinary railroad spike and at a cost no greater than that of the ordinary spike.

A further object of my invention is to provide a spike of the character described which is adapted to be driven into a usual aperture in a tie plate of ordinary construction in an ordinary manner to secure a rail to a tie and which is formed to cooperate with the tie plate to act on a kev associated therewith and driven into the tie in such manner that the portion of the key penetrating the tie will be deflected from a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spike and will thus hold the latter against accidental withdrawal or twisting.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spike construction of the character described in which both the spike and the locking key may be operatively applied and withdrawn through the agency of tools ordinarily used in constructing tracks.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing a portion of a track construc tion equipped with spikes embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a side view of a spike constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing in conjunction therewith a tie plate and a fragmentary portion of the base flange of a rail, the latter being shown in section,

Figure 3 is a vertical section through a spike embodying the invention in applied position in respect to a tie plate and a supporting tie, and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the spike and of a portion of the base flange of a rail, the locking key shown in the preceding views being omitted to show the position of the lock receiving groove in respect to the edge of the base flange.

Referring now to the drawings, a spike embodying the present invention comprises a shank 1 which is in general of conventional construction and is merged at one end into the usual head 2. As is usual the head 2 is formed with the front marginal portions thereof extending forwardly of the plane of the front side of the shank to overlie a marginal portion of the base flange 3 of a rail 4 which rests upon a wooden tie 5 into which the shank of the spike is driven so that the front side thereof is contiguous or adjacent to the edge of the base flange. In practice, the shank of the spike will be driven through an aperture 6 in a tie plate 7 which is interposed between the upper face of the tie 5 and the rail 4: and upon which the latter rests.

A. spike embodying the present invention departs from the conventional in that a groove 8 is provided in one side wall thereof for a purpose to be described, the groove being formed in the spike coincidentally with the forming of the latter and without increasing the cost of manufacture thereof.

The groove 8 is areuate in longitudinal sectional contour, being deepest intermediate its ends and decreasing regularly in depth from the deepest part thereof toward both ends. The groove 8 extends longitudinally of the spike and is located in such position along the latter that one end of the groove opens through or terminates in the plane of a side wall of the shank at an appreciable distance below the juncture of the shank with the head while the other end of the groove opens through one laterally extending marginal portion of the head 2, as indicated at 9 in Figure 4'. The groove 8 11$ Cir is of course open throughout its length and in the presentembodimen-t-ot the invention the side walls thereof: are straight and parallel while the bottom or inner wall thereof is arcuate in cross sectional contour to conform to the contour of a key or looking nail 10 which is provided wit-h a head at one end and is pointed at its other end, as indicated at 12. Obviously, the cross sectional. contour of the groove 8 may vary from that described to conform to the CODtOUlOIt keys of different cross sectional contour from that illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The; length of the groove 8 is such that the major portion thereof disposed below the; plane of the upper face of the tie plate 7 when the spike is in fully driven position and has been projected. through an aperture in the tie plate. 2:; binding action on the locking key 10 therefore takes place at the upper end oi the aperture through the tie plate at the point indicated at 13 in Fig. 8 when the toy 10 is driven through the groove 8 between the upper edge of the anaerture 6 and the inner or bottom wall oi the groove. This binding action will cause the inserted end 12 of the key 10 to slide along theinner or bottom wall 8 under the impact of blows delivered upon the head 11 and to be bent. or cammed because of the engagement with such wall to penetrate the tie 5 at the one side of the spike so that the end portion 12 will extend substantially in a plane intersecting the longitudinal axis of the shank 1 at right angles when the locking key 10 is in fully driven position. The locking key 10 is made of a material which will bend under stress, and which is softer than the material composing the spike and the tie plate whereby the binding action at 13 will also aid in preventing accidental withdrawal of the locking key 10 and consequently. oi the spike, although of course tl-iearcuate shape of the fully driven key and the engagement thereot with the. tie are important factors in the holding of the locking key against displacement, from driven position.

In order that the locking key, may be conveniently withdrawn when desired,

through the agency. of the usual claw-bar, a

washer 14- having a convexly curved lower face isslipped over the pointed end of the key against the head 11 before the key l0 is appliedin the manner described. A key comprising a large head can be substituted for thekey 10 and washer 14.

From the foregoingdescription of the various parts of the device, the operation thereofmaybe readily. understood. A spike embodying the present invention can be manufacturedas cheaply asa spike of conventional construction without thense of any,, complicated tools and without increase in cost. The spike is adapted for use in trackcon tructions oil? the type ordinarily provided in railwaysat the present time and can be both operatively applied and withdrawn without the use of any special tools. Obviously, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that illustrated in the accompanying drawings and l therefore consider as my own all modifica tions or adaptations of the form oi the device disclosed herein which fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A railroad. spike comprising a body consisting of a shank and a head ned into the shank at one end oi the latte, body being formed with a longitudinally extending groove in one side thereof, said groove opening at on end through one side of the head and terminating in the plane of the same side of the shank at an appreciable distance from the juncture oi, the shank and head.

2. A railroad spike comp is ng a conventionally shaped bodv cons 111g ot shank and head portions merged one into the other, said body having in one side thereof a groove opening at one end through one side of the head and extending longitudinally of the body to terminate in the plane of the same side of tie shank, said groove being curved. in longitudinal sectional contour.

3. A railroad spike comprising a conventionally shaped body consisting of shank and head portions merged one into the other, said body having in one side thereof a groove opening at one end through one side of the head and extending longitudinally of the bodyto terminate in the plane of the .same side of the shank, said groove being arcuately curved in longitudinal sectional cont-our.

a. In combination, a railroadspike comprising a conventionally shaped body consisting of integral shank and head portions, said body having a groove formed in one side thereof, said groove opening at one end through a side portion of the head and terminating at its opposite end in tie plane of the same side of the shankand bein formed with the inner wall thereof curved to lie in the arc of a circle, a tie-plate having an aperture through which the body of the spike may be projected-so that the major portion of the groove extends below the plane of the upper side of the tie-plate, and a locking key insertible into the groove between the upper edge of the aperture through the tie-plate and the walls of the groove, said locking keybeing adapted to be bent when driven alongthe inner wall. of the groove in such manner as to be deflected laterally of the body of the spike so that the insertedend portion of the key will lie substantially in a plane extending at right 1 its other end 7 eeann the body key are prisir a conventionally shaped body consist- 1119' integral shank and head portions,

i d body having a groove formed in one in at one end rough at side 1 ide thereof, said groove open portion of the head and terminating at its opposite end in the plane of the same side of the shank and being formed with the inner wall thereof curved to lie in the are of a circle, a tie-plate having an aperture through which the body of the spike may Ue projected so tl at the major portion of the groove extends below the plane of the upper side of the tie-plate, a locking key sertible into the groove between the upper edge of the aperture through the tieplate and the walls of the groove, said locking key being adapted to be bent when driven along the inner wall of the groove in such manner as to be deflect d laterally ot the body of the spike so that the inserted end portion of the key will lie substantially in a plane extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body of the spike when the spike and key are both in fully driven position, said key having a head at its upper end, and a washer disposed upon the key between the head of the latter and the head of the spike.

'6. -11 combination, a railroad spike comprising a conventionally shaped body eonsisting of integral shank and head portions, said Jody having a groove formed in one side thereof, said groove opening one end through a side portion of the head and ten 1i ng' at opposite end in the plane of the same side of the shank and being formed with the inner wall thereof curved to lie inv the arc of a circle, tie-plate ha g aperture through which the body or the spike be projected so that the major portion ol the groove extends below the piano ot the upper side of the tie-plate, a locking key insertible into the groove between the upper edge of the aperture through the tie-plate and the walls of the groove, said locking; key being adapted to be bent when driven along the inner wall of the groove in such manner as to be deflected laterally of the body of the spike so that the inserted end portion of the key will lie substantially in a plane extend ing at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body of: the spike when the spike and key are both in fully driven position, said key having a head at its upper enn, a washer disposed upon the key between the head of the latter and the head of the spike, the face of the washer proximate to the head or" the spike being coneaved in form.

ADOLPH PLUMP. 

